In 1842, the famous British researcher Michael Faraday made an amazing observation by chance: A thin layer of water forms on the surface of ice, even though it is well below zero degrees. So the temperature is below the melting point of ice, yet the surface of the ice has...
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Human expansion 1,000 years ago linked to Madagascar’s loss of large vertebrates
The island of Madagascar -- one of the last large land masses colonized by humans - -sits about 250 miles (400 kilometers) off the coast of East Africa. While it's still regarded as a place of unique biodiversity, Madagascar long ago lost all its large-bodied vertebrates, including giant lemurs, elephant...
Last Chance to See Total Lunar Eclipse Until 2025!
For the second time in 2022, stargazers will have the opportunity to view a total lunar eclipse on Nov. 8.
Platypus populations impacted by large river dams are more vulnerable to threats
A new genetic study finds large dams restrict platypus movement, with significant implications for their conservation.
WaikīKī Beach Studies Reveal Complex Drivers of Changing Shoreline
The Royal Hawaiian Beach in Waikīkī is a popular beach at the center of Hawai‘i’s tourism hub, with a valuation of $2.2 billion, according to a 2016 study.
Now We Know How Plants Steer Clear of Salt
To avoid salt in soil, plants can change their root direction and grow away from saline areas.
Study Reveals How Ancient Fish Colonized the Deep Sea
The deep sea contains more than 90% of the water in our oceans, but only about a third of all fish species.
The importance of light for grassland plant diversity
Plants need light to grow. However, due to excess nutrients and/or the absence of herbivores less light can reach lower vegetation layers in grasslands. Consequently, few fast-growing species dominate and plant diversity declines. So far, this relationship has been established indirectly through experiments, but never directly by means of experimentally...
Carnivore gut microbes offer insight into health of wild ecosystems
A new study finds the microbial ecosystem in the guts of wild marten (Martes americana) that live in relatively pristine natural habitat is distinct from the gut microbiome of wild marten that live in areas that are more heavily impacted by human activity. The finding highlights an emerging tool that...
Native fish overlooked as invaders in U.S. waters
In the U.S. Geological Survey's Non-Indigenous Aquatic Species database, these so-called 'native transplant' fish are almost twice as common as fish introduced from outside the country. But a new review says native transplant fish, especially those that don't qualify as game fish, are rarely studied and their impacts poorly understood.